ITP V.022 REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY: "DECEIVERS"

 

BAND: ARCH ENEMY (SWEDEN)

GENRE: MELODIC, DEATH METAL

LABEL: CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS

RELEASE DATE: 8/12/2022

TITLE: "DECEIVERS"

 

 

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG) :

.
"RAPUNK", (COVERS COMPILATION), 2/16/2018 via TROOPER ENTERTAINMENT 

"WILL TO POWER", 9/1/2017 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"LIVE POWER" (COMPILATION), 8/23/2017 via METAL HAMMER. 

"AS THE STAGES BURN!",  (LIVE RELEASE) , 3/31/2017 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"WAR ETERNAL: TOKYO SACRIFICE", 1/13/2016 via TROOPER ENTERTAINMENT. 

"STOLEN LIFE" (EP-JAPAN), 2/25/2015 via TROOPER ENTERTAINMENT. 

"SPLIT WITH KREATOR", aa/14/2014 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS. 

"WAR ETERNAL", 6/4/2014 via TROOPER ENTERTAINMENT. 

"KAOS LEGIONS",  5/30/2011 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL", 9/25/2009 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"TYRANTS OF THE RISING SUN: LIVE IN JAPAN", 11/21/2008 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"REVOLUTION BEGINS" (EP), 9/21/2007 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"RISE OF THE TYRANT", 9/19/2007 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS and TOYS FACTORY. 

"LIVE APOCALYPSE", (VIDEO), 7/24/2006 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"DOOMSDAY MACHINE", 7/21/2005 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

 "SPLIT WITH NEVERMORE", 2005 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"DEAD EYES SEE NO FUTURE" (EP), 6/9/2004 via TOY'S FACTORY. 

"ANTHEMS OF REBELLION", 7/30/2003 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"SPLIT WITH NEVERMORE and LACUNA COIL", 2003 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"BURNING ANGEL" (EP-JAPAN), 3/6/2002 via TOY'S FACTORY.

"WAGES OF SIN", 4/25/2001 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"BURNING JAPAN LIVE-1999, 8/23/2000 via TOY'S FACTORY

"BURNING BRIDGES", 5/21/1999 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"STIGMATA", 3/21/1998 via TOY'S FACTORY. 

"BLACK EARTH", 10/2/1996 via TOY'S FACTORY. 

 

 

 

BEST RELEASE(S): "WAGES OF SIN" (2001), "KAOS LEGIONS" (2011), "WILL TO POWER" (2017), "AS THE STAGES BURN!",  (LIVE RELEASE=2017)

 

ARCH ENEMY: "DECEIVERS":TRACK-LISTING: 

1. "HANDSHAKE WITH HELL"

2. "DECEIVER, DECEIVER"

3, "IN THE EYE OF THE STORM"

4. "THE WATCHER"

5. "POISONED ARROW"

6. "SUNSET OVER THE EMPIRE"

7. "HOUSE OF MIRRORS"

8. "SPREADING BLACK WINGS"

9. "MOURNING STAR"

10. "ONE LAST TIME"

11."EXILED FROM EARTH"
 

 

 

 

 

 

ITP RATING ***
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: ***
PERFORMANCE: *** 1/2

Swedish melodic death metal warriors ARCH ENEMY were formed in 1995 with former CARCASS guitarist MICHAEL AMOTT and his brother CHRISTOPHER. 

ARCH ENEMY are currently on their third vocalist and since 2014 featuring ALISSA WHITE GLUZ replacing ANGELA GOSSOW. 

Here ITP V.022 has ARCH ENEMY'S new release "DECEIVERS" on tap to review. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "DECEIVERS" kicks off with . "HANDSHAKE WITH HELL" featuring technical riffs and assorted thrash madness. .ARCH ENEMY vocalist  ALISSA WHITE GLUZ expands her range with clean vocals mixed with death metal vox for a good extreme metal tune. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "DECEIVER, DECEIVER" kicks in hard, dramatic and heavy at a faster tempo.. "DECEIVER, DECEIVER" features good rhythm and lead guitars with good solos and a shout along chorus. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "IN THE EYE OF THE STORM" is a mid paced track. While overall not that impressive, "IN THE EYE OF THE STORM" features good melodic solos. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "THE WATCHER"  is BRUTAL from the start with thrash and double bass drumming."THE WATCHER" slows down at the chorus then picks up again. 

ARCH ENEMY'S   "POISONED ARROW" is a toned down hard rock track with the usual melodic elements. "POISONED ARROW" would make a good single as the track features good solos. 

 ARCH ENEMY'S  "SUNSET OVER THE EMPIRE" is one of  "DECEIVERS" better tracks as it thrashes, rocks and burns with some quality lead and rhythm guitar playing as the track should go over well live. 

 ARCH ENEMY'S  "HOUSE OF MIRRORS"  is a good track with rolling riffs, and  nice lead guitar riffing..... "HOUSE OF MIRRORS" sounds radio friendly. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "SPREADING BLACK WINGS" is a well written mid paced banger with random "Hey, Hey, HEYS" vocalized to rile up the crowd live. 

ARCH ENEMY'S  "MOURNING STAR" is an unimpressive, soft, light instrumental. 

ARCH ENEMY'S   "ONE LAST TIME" is a hard rock track featuring spoken word, death vocals and some good rhythm guitar. I could do without the spoken word..

ARCH ENEMY'S . "DECEIVERS"  closes with  "EXILED FROM EARTH"is a good mid paced banger with a touch of melody. and good solos.

 

Over the last two releases, ARCH ENEMY have sank to new lows. ARCH ENEMY'S . "DECEIVERS" features bland songwriting and caters to a watered down hard rock cliche. 

I don't mind  ALISSA WHITE GLUZ'S vocals as she has been experimenting with clean vocals during the last few releases. It's just that ARCH ENEMY recycle riffs to the point of boredom. 

The production and mixing on ARCH ENEMY'S "DECEIVERS" is good. However, the production can't cover for watered down riifs and lame songwriting. 

 

 ITP RATING ***
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: ***
PERFORMANCE: *** 1/2

 

 

ARCH ENEMY: "DECEIVERS": 

https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2022/08/arch-enemy-streaming-new-release.html 

ITP V.022 REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY: "DECEIVERS" by ITP V.022 (THERESA GETELES) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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